Everyday Science: Rubber Quiz

It's not only what gives balls their bounce, it's what keeps us riding smoothly on the road, erases our embarrassing math errors and protects us from disease. The unique elasticity and durability of rubber makes it ideal for these and scores of other important uses. Although you may be familiar with the use of rubber, how much do you know about the history and processing of this special substance? Let's bounce this quiz off of you.

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Question 1 of 10

What people are thought to be the first to use rubber?

Mesoamericans

The peoples of Mesoamerica, an ancient region of Central America and Mexico, are thought to be the first to have used this elastic chemical compound. They used rubber to make balls for a game that Christopher Columbus, and later the Spanish conquistadors, watched them play.

Asians

Romans

Question 2 of 10

What is rubber produced from?

rubber trees

oil

both of the above

Natural rubber is made from rubber trees, and synthetic rubber is made from oil.

Question 3 of 10

What famous inventor came up with vulcanization?

Louis Pasteur

Henry Ford

Charles Goodyear

Charles Goodyear invented vulcanization, a process that makes rubber more durable. He mixed latex rubber with sulfur and lead oxide, then heated it. This made the rubber hard, flexible and durable.

Question 4 of 10

Which of the following synthetic rubbers is commonly used in wet suits?

latex

neoprene

Neoprene is a soft, foamy, insulating rubber that's often used in wet suits. DuPont chemist Wallace Carothers first invented it by turning a polymer of chloroprene into polychloroprene in 1930.

silicone

Question 5 of 10

Which continent produces the most natural rubber today?

Asia

Most natural rubber comes from Asia, thanks to Latin American-derived trees that have been transplanted there.

Africa

South America

Question 6 of 10

About how much was the synthetic rubber industry worth in 2007?

$4.9 billion

$10.7 billion

$26.2 billion

Priced at about $2,012 per ton, there was $26.2 billion to be made in the synthetic rubber market in 2007. This is a bit more than the natural rubber market, which was worth about $22.5 billion in 2007.

Question 7 of 10

Which rubber-processing method involves forcing the material through a small opening before vulcanizing and curing it?

extrusion

In extrusion, rubber polymers are heated and mechanically mixed in a long chamber, forced through a small opening and vulcanized or cured. This method is used to make large strands for compression molding.

injection molding

compression molding

Question 8 of 10

How long does it take for a rubber tree to grow before it's economical to harvest the sap?

two years

six years

It takes about six years for a rubber tree to grow to a point at which it's economical to harvest the sap.

12 years

Question 9 of 10

Which of the following is the best rubber-producing tree?

Landolphia owariensis

H. braziliensis

Of all of these trees, the best rubber-producing tree is H. braziliensis. It's the main source of natural rubber today.

Castilla elastica

Question 10 of 10

What's the most common use for rubber today?

erasers

protective gloves

tires

The most common use for rubber is in automotive tires. But pencil erasers, shoes, gloves, dental dams and condoms contain the ubiquitous substance, too.